At a glance

Who: 16 of the top cycling teams in the world, including Team Garmin-Sharp of Denver, Omega Pharma from Belgium and Cannondale Pro Cycling from Italy

On TV: 2 to 4 p.m. on NBC Sports Network

ESCONDIDO 
America’s version of the Tour de France takes to the roads Sunday in North County.

More than 120 professional cyclists will begin the eight-day Amgen Tour of California in Escondido. It will bring potentially hundreds of thousands of spectators along the route (including a lung-busting climb up 6,100-foot Palomar Mountain), a global TV audience, high hopes for a city and merchants looking to make some serious dough.

The race is such a big deal that Escondido spent nearly $500,000 to host it.

“This will put our city on the national and worldwide stage,” Mayor Sam Abed said. “It will improve our economy long-term by boosting our image and attracting more visitors.”

When Escondido hosted the finish of the race in 2009, an estimated 300,000 people lined the route. That included more than 40,000 people jamming the sidewalks and restaurants of historic Grand Avenue near the finish line downtown.

City officials have tried to get the race back ever since, but tour organizers said the weak economy made it impossible to include San Diego County in the race again — until this year.

The absence of the race deprived local residents and cycling fans of a chance to see the world’s best compete here.

“These are the same guys and the same teams from the Tour de France,” said Andy Hanshaw, executive director of the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition. “The last time this race came through Escondido, it was one of the largest events the county has ever seen.”

Hanshaw said cyclists from across the region are energized to have the race here again. He said the excitement would be similar to how avid golfers felt when Torrey Pines hosted the U.S. Open in 2008.

The Amgen Tour of California is an eight-day bike race with 16 of the best cycling teams in the world scheduled to compete. After Escondido, the race will continue to Murrieta, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, Santa Barbara, San Jose, Livermore and the final stage, a race from San Francisco to the finish line in Santa Rosa on May 19.

The first leg, 103 miles, will start and finish in the heart of Escondido’s downtown. In between, riders will race through Ramona, Valley Center and the San Pasqual Valley at speeds that will typically range from 15 to 30 mph. But cyclists might go as fast as 50 mph while descending the twisty route down Palomar Mountain.

Spectators will be everywhere, with many shaking cowbells and some wearing costumes. And they will come from all over the county, state and country.

In addition to live spectators, the race will be seen by millions on the NBC Sports Network and various other channels in 216 countries and territories across the globe.

Santa Rosa, which served as the starting-line host in May 2012, got an estimated $6.8 million economic boost, city officials there said recently.

To ensure they make the best impression possible, Escondido officials have spent six months filling potholes, adding benches for spectators and sprucing up the city.

For example, a large community garden was recently created on top of a polluted former gas station site two blocks east of the finish line. And a special 22-inch racing cap and massive cycling vest were created for the giant Joor Muffler Man nearby.

The city has also coordinated hundreds of road closures for the day of the race and planned dozens of race-related events, including a Friday night gala at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido.

Between the start of Sunday’s race at 11:15 a.m. and its finish about 3:30 p.m., city officials hope fans visit two downtown festivals, pack local restaurants and swarm a food truck gathering on Broadway next to downtown’s Grape Day Park.

“I bet it ends up being the biggest day of our lifetime,” Vinnie Griffin, owner of downtown’s Vinz Wine Bar, said this week. “We’ve been working 24 hours a day to get ready.”

Other locations on the route include the Safari Park, Orfila Winery in the San Pasqual Valley, Mesa Grande Road near Julian, Lake Henshaw and Valley Center.

Phyllis Kamps, owner of the Lake Wohlford Café in Valley Center, said she expects a record day, partly because Mother’s Day would be busy even without the race. “We’ll have a lot of extra cold beer ready,” she said.

Lucas Euser, a pro cyclist competing in the race as part of the United Healthcare team, said his teammates are particularly excited about the route. “Mount Palomar is an iconic climb, not only in the United States but in the world,” he said. “We’ll be starting off with some fireworks this year.”

Chris Jones, also a member of the United Healthcare team, said the mountain will be a rigorous challenge for the race’s 128 pro cyclists.

“The last time we raced it in 2009, it was really hard,” he said. “The team will ride it on Friday because a lot of guys haven’t seen the climb.”

For the casual fan and those unfamiliar with pro cycling, Sunday will be an opportunity to watch elite athletes compete at the highest level of their sport.

“They will feel the energy at the starting line, then they can follow the race on the Internet while they attend local events, and then they can go to the finish line,” Euser said.

But for savvy fans, Jones said, watching the race live would be an opportunity to see the significant amount of strategy involved. That includes cyclists shielding teammates from the wind and setting up for a final breakaway.

“It’s not just guys pedaling around,” he said. “It’s like a chess game on wheels.”